Now, as for my aunt, who told on meShe was always wearing her turbansSailing back to Greece on the NormandyHaving dinner at the captain's tableSitting on the deck with five men surrounding herWith uncle Sam in the back row

Back at home, riding up the Taygetus On a donkey named David,With her soft leather boots dangling off to the sideSo full of pride, so full of pride

Profitis Elias, so high you can see usforty eight, twenty three, twenty second street standing thereWith cashmere overcoatsAnd those turbans with their Arabian silver And ostrich and papagou feather hatsAnd not far down from our koumbaros Betinis

We've got a secret between us BetinisIn the back of the Hawthorne smoke shopIn the basement of the hat factoryThe fedoras got glued togetherBut in that back basementIn that back basement a lot of things got sewn up

A full compliment of grinchy ItaliansCounting up on their stubby fingersAnd smoking, I'm toldThe least sophisticated cigarsThe local lottery and so forth Like anybody was going to get a night out of that nut Though what a lucky loser is our five thousand dollarsA day friend and koumbaros Betinis.We've got a secret between us, Betinis

In the back of the Hawthorne smoke shopHaberdashery was the least of itIn the basement of the hat factoryThe fedoras got glued togetherBut in that back basementIn that back basement, a lot of things got sewn up

In the basement of the hat factoryThe fedoras got glued togetherBut in that back basementIn that back basement, a lot of things got sewn upWe've got a secret between us, Betinis

Not that nobody knows, like nobody knows About the white doves that flew out the cake atThe brother's weddingIn your hat factory, BetinisThey count up all the buffaloNickels and silver certificatesWrung from Lake Superior spirits

And prize fight foolery, and slutsSpeaking easy in the closets on 12th streetAnd in exchange you put in your pants five thousand dollarsA day to stick under your bed for startersBut later in the laundry, so you can Feel free to chase your wife around the tableWhen you feel she looked at the apricotAnd boysenberry boy twice